Cricket Australia reject channel Nine claims that the network will influence team selection

CRICKET Australia stood its ground tonight against claims by Channel 9 that it would influence team selection and scheduling as part of its new TV rights deal.

Nine's managing director Jeff Browne told a business lunch in Sydney today that as part of the network's record $400million winning bid for international cricket rights, he expected to have a say in both matters.

But CA chief executive James Sutherland last night hosed down the deal's impact, especially on national selection issues.

"Cricket has a long-standing and successful relationship with the Nine Network, but team selections and scheduling are matters for Cricket Australia,'' Sutherland said. "The national selection panel selects the Australian teams (and) with the volume of international cricket being played, it will continue to be necessary for us to manage player workloads appropriately.''

Nine was angry last summer that the Australian selectors had diminished the TV product by resting so many top-line players under the guise of its controversial "rotation policy''.

Browne said that trend was a "real worry'' for Nine, which has owned Australian cricket's television rights since Kerry Packer's World Series revolution in the mid 1970s.

Browne said Nine understood CA had to rest some players "to give them longevity in their careers, but they also understand we've got to have the best players on the paddock to rate''.

"I understand why sports want to do that, but people at home want to see the best players playing and we urge Cricket Australia to pick the best players every time.

"I think we've got a better understanding on that,'' he said. "Last year that balance was skewed too much in favour of resting some players so from now on there will be a lot more discussion between CA and the broadcaster about that.''It's understood there is no formal agreement in the record contract, signed in early June.

"I am not pushing a black letter print solution because I believe the discussions we've had with them so far will give us a solution,'' Browne said.

It's also understood that Nine has pushed for the Perth Test match to be the summer's first given that it's prime-time broadcast in the eastern states still falls in the ratings period.

Sutherland last night reiterated his recent stand that all stakeholders' requests on match timing would be taken into account.

"We'll continue to consult with our broadcasters on scheduling issues. It's something we have always done,'' he said. "We have a common goal with our broadcast partners to maximise the number of fans watching and enjoying cricket (so) we'll consider all ideas and then make the appropriate decisions.''

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